Month: August 2016

#400 #day18 of placement has a theme of #humility where being called to humility was part of my #homily for our mid-week eucharist. It was also the main feeling in my heart as a homeless man thanked me for all I had done to help (which was to print a form to fill out for a place @emmausoxford)! This evening I was humbled again at dinner with friends who had worked so hard to make a special birthday dinner (complete with cake, banners and tiaras!). I’ve felt richly and undeservedly #blessed today.

#399 #day17 of placement involved a funeral preparation visit. Having been involved in a #funeral in the first week of placement, along with this has given me a real sense of the importance and privilege of #funeralministry. It seems to be one huge act of #service to a family, both in getting the preparations right, but also with pastoral care of mourners long after the funeral, when society expects normal life to have resumed. it’s such an important ministry which is a #privilege and comes with a huge #responsibility.

#398 #day16 of placement was a welcome day off due to #bankholiday. We went to London for a walk around #jewishlondon. I also bought a #tanakh with the #hebrew and English…just need to revisit my Hebrew alphabet again and we’ll be well away!!

#397 On #day15 of my #placement I asked the congregation two questions before I preached: where would they go in the universe if they could go anywhere, and who would they meet if they could meet anyone. The responses were a mixture of #aspirations and #sadness. Today I #pray for each of the people and places represented in these thoughts, for the lives that could be and the lives that have been, for dictatorships which have torn families apart, and for loved ones long since missed. Amen.

#394 #day12 of #placement saw the games continuing in holiday club. One particular game had me thinking about the ‘red rag to a bull’ concept. What is your #redrag? Does it bring about a righteous #anger or just rile you? Can anger ever be a good thing? Are there things that Jesus would have wanted us to be angry about? Can anger ever be channelled for good work?

#393 Much of #day11 of #placement after holiday club has been taken up with writing scripts, crafting slides and making music for the holiday club service on Sunday. I needed a beautiful sky photo to illustrate the awesomeness of the #heavens so I borrowed a real camera…I hope this conveys #awe and #wonder?!

#392 The holiday club continues on #day10 of #placement. On one of the hottest days of the year over 20 children #mushroomed under a #parachute…what is it about #parachutegames that are so much fun, and manage to keep children of all ages entertained! What I loved about it was that it reminded me with our #amazinguniverse and #lovinggod theme that God created #fun and #laughter. It’s something we should make sure we do regularly! What really makes you laugh? Who makes you laugh? How about spending more time with them…?

#391 #day9 of #placement was the first day of #holidayclub, a long standing tradition for the church. This involved a memory verse which was longer than any I would have remembered! #psalm8v3and4 “I look at the heavens, which you made with your hands. I see the moon and stars, which you created. But why is man important to you? Why do you take care of human beings?” These seem like such pertinent questions…some might disagree and say that God doesn’t take care of human beings. What is striking for me is that the majesty of God shines through our #amazinguniverse and yet he is a #lovinggod who wants a relationship with his people, despite our many imperfections! My #sundaysermon is on this psalm…how can I do it justice?!